Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, has cautioned his supporters against making remarks that could harm the ongoing internal reconciliation process in the party.
Atiku stated this through a press statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja on Thursday.
There are increasing fears in the PDP that the crisis between Atiku and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State may affect the party’s chances in the 2023 presidential election.
Earlier in the week, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the APC, met with Wike in London.
After the meeting, Ibrahim Masari, placeholder running mate of the APC Presidential Candidate, said Wike would work for APC in next year’s election.
In a statement on Thursday, Atiku warned his supporters and other PDP stakeholders to desist from making statements that are capable of escalating the ongoing disquiet within the party.
The statement read, “It has become imperative to appeal to all party members, leaders and everyone related to, connected with or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar to desist from making comments that potentially reduce the optics of PDP’s image as a united political party.
“This appeal becomes necessary in order to call the attention of party leaders and members to the diversionary antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress which, in manufacturing a false impression of division within the PDP, aims to hoodwink the Nigerian public to overlook the monumental failures of the ruling party.
“Today, Nigerians look up to the Peoples Democratic Party to lead the charge in ousting the ruling party. This expectation from the people is the reason why the APC is jittery of their impending fall in next year’s general election. It is also the very reason why the ruling party is manipulating the political process to create a sense of division in the PDP.
“Because they know that there is nothing to campaign with from their records of performance in office, the APC has elected to play the role of the devil’s advocate, regaling in celebration of their imaginary invincibility upon a fraudulent claim that the PDP is divided.
“It is for this reason that appeal to every true member of the PDP and anyone who truly wishes the success of the PDP presidential candidate to not fall for the antics of the APC in making statements that could give credence to the false claim of divisions in the PDP.
“All the leaders of the party, including especially the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Nyesom Wike and all governors of the PDP are united in working for the victory of the PDP in next year’s general election across board.
“What is at stake in the next year’s election is the future of Nigeria and all leaders and members of the PDP are on the same page in the mission to rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of the APC.”
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